Sri Ramakrishna's topics - tribe.net

Ramakrishna and the Shankaracharyas

kalkin — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 08:38:36 GMT

So I ran across this article on the monastic traditions of the Shankaracharya Mathas http://www.sanskrit.org/www/Shankara/shankar4.html that says that Ramakrishna (along with Sivananda and Chinmaya) trace their paramparas through the Srngeri Matha of Shankaracharya. Anyone ever hear of this? I don't know too much of the history of the Ramakrishna Mission but it seemed a bit odd to me that such a staunch Bengali Kali worshiper would be of a lineage so closely related with the Sri Kula and worship of Sharada (Sarasvati).

posted in Sri Ramakrishna - 2 replies

KUNDALINI SHAKTI

madan_gautam — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 10:46:11 GMT

What is kundalini?

``Kundalini'' literally means coiling, like a snake. In the classical literature of hatha yoga kundalini is described as a coiled serpent at the base of the spine. The image of coiling, like a spring, conveys the sense of untapped potential energy. Perhaps more meaningfully kundalini can be described as a great reservoir of creative energy at the base of the spine.
It's not useful to sit with our consciousness fixed in our head and think of kundalini as a foreign force running up and down our spine. Unfortunately the serpent image may serve to accentuate this alien nature of the image. It's more useful to think of kundalini energy as the very foundation of our consciousness so that when kundalini moves through our bodies our consciousness necessarily changes with it.

The concept of kundalini can also be examined from a strictly psychological perspective. From this perspective kundalini can be thought of as a rich source of psychic or libidinous energy in our unconscious.

In the classical literature of Kashmir Shaivism kundalini is described in three different manifestions. The first of these is as the universal energy or para-kundalini. The second of these is as the energizing function of the body-mind complex or prana-kundalini. The third of these is as consciousness or shakti-kundalini which simultaneously subsumes and intermediates between these two. Ultimately these three forms are the same but understanding these three different forms will help to understand the differerent manifestations of kundalini.

What is the difference between prana and kundalini? What is the difference between qi (or chi) and kundalini?

First let us try to relate to concepts from the same tradition - prana and kundalini. Prana has been translated as the ``vital breath'' and ``bio-energetic motility''; it is associated with maintaining the functioning of the mind and body. Kundalini, in its form as prana-kundalini, is identical to prana ; however, Kundalini also has a manifestations as consciousness and a as a unifying cosmic energy. One could ascribe these same aspects to prana as well so past a certain point these become distinctions without differences.

From the subjective standpoint of an individual actually experiencing the awakening of kundalini I have found three completely different opinions:

The first opinion is that a pranic awakening is only a prelude to a full kundalini awakening. Tibetan yogins that I have encountered consider the activation of prana (Tibetan: rlung) as merely a prerequisite for the activation of kundalini (Tibetan: gTummo). What's attractive about this viewpoint is that it explains the difference between the experience of simply having pleasant sensations in the spine and the much more powerful experience of having a ``freight-train''-like full kundalini experience.

The second opinion, espoused by Swami Shivom Tirth for example, is that prana and kundalini are absolutely equivalent and that it is not meaningful in any way to describe a difference between kundalini rising and prana rising. When posed with question as to how to distinguish between pleasant sensations that show some pranic-activity in the spine and the much more powerful experience Swami Shivom Tirth said that the difference is not in the nature of the activity but in the consciousness that observes it. If the consciousness that experiences the pranic activity is seated within the spine (or more correctly, the central channel, known as the sushumna), then the experience is felt much more powerfully.

The third opinion, espoused by the modern hatha yogin, Desikaran, is that pranic awakening is the true experience to be aimed for and kundalini is actually an obstruction. Desikaran sees the kundalini as a block in the central channel and thus the kundalini must be ``killed'' to make way for the prana. This is the most unusual view of the three.

The Chinese concept of qi (or chi) can be safely identified with the Indian concept of prana.

If all this seems confusing - don't worry, you're in good company. My conclusion is that these are all different terminologies for dealing with a common set of experiences. Any one of these viewpoints is adequate for describing the full range of experiences. What is probably more relevant is to distinguish two different experiences which are often confused. In one an individual experiences some pleasant energizing electric energy running along the spine. This experience itself brings about a wide range of experiences and results in vitality and sensitivity.

Another very distinct experience is the experience of kundalini entering the sushumna and rising up the spine. As soon as kundalini enters the sushumna this experience will completely overwhelm ordinary waking consciousness. From the moment that kundalini enters the sushumna there will no longer be a distrinction between the subjective consciousness which experiences and the object of experience. This experience much more profoundly transfigures consciousness.

If kundalini is universal, why do some kundalini yogins seem to have more kundalini-energy than others?

It's an intriguing question. If an individual's kundalini is viewed as simply a personal reservoir of a cosmic energy then why would one person appear to have more of a reservoir of kundalini energy than another? Nevertheless, this does appear to be the case. This is probably another advantage of the viewpoint that prana (or qi) is the same as kundalini.
Some Chinese texts distinguish between ``innate qi'' or ``pre-natal qi'' that one is born with and ``cultivated qi'' that can be developed. Clearly some people simply have more ``innate qi.'' This manifests as a stronger more resilient body and greater general vitality.

Through training those that have relatively weak ``innate qi'' may surpass those who have strong ``innate qi'' but do not train. There are many stories in the Chinese literature of Qi Gong about people who took up Qi Gong in order to improve their poor health became powerful martial artists or great qi gong masters. Of course those that have strong ``innate qi'' and also train their qi may develop the strongest qi of all.

What does kundalini have to do with spiritual enlightenment? What is the goal of kundalini yoga?

First we need a few concepts: In yogic anatomy the sushumna is the central channel and conduit for the kundalini energy that runs along our spine and up to the crown of our head. Along this channel are placed additional channel networks called cakras. These cakras are associated with major aspects of our anatomy - for example our throat, heart, solar plexus, and in turn these aspects of our anatomy are related to aspects of our human nature.
According to the literature of kundalini yoga our experience of these centers is limited due to knots which restrict the flow of energy into these centers. Three knots are particuarly important. The knot of Brahma which restricts the center at the base of the spine. The knot of Vishnu which restricts the heart center and the knot of Rudra which restricts the center between the eyebrows. These knots form an important framework in yogic thinking and the stages toward enlightenment are articulated in terms of breaking through these knots in the yogic classic the Hatha Yoga Pradipika as well as in some of the yoga upanishads. Specifically, four stages of progress are described:

arambha

ghata

parichaya

nishpatti

Arambha is associated with breaking the knot of Brahma and the awakening of kundalini.

Ghata is associated with breaking the knot of Vishnu and and with internal absorption.

Parichaya the absorption deepens and in

nishpatti the knot of Rudra is pierced and the kundalini may ascend to the center at the crown of the head. In this state transcendence is integrated and, according to the yogic liteature, the yogi has nothing more to attain.

Putting these elaborate physiological decriptions aside, the goal of kundalini yoga is the same as the goal of any legimitate spiritual practice: To be liberated from the limited bounds of the self-centered and alienated ego. In kundalini yoga this is associated with internal manifestations of the kundalini but the external manifestations should be similar to any other legitiimate spiritual practice.

So does everyone agree that kundalini awakening is necessary for enlightenment?

The view that kundalini awakening is necessary for enlightenment is held in the diverse literature of Kashmir Shaivism and in other Hindu Tantric literature. It is found in the literature of the Hatha Yogis and the Nath Sampradaya. You will find similar views in many Buddhist Tantric works. In addition this view is held by recent spiritual figures such as Shri Ramakrishna, Swami Sivananda, Paramahamsa Yogananda and Swami Vivekananda and of course by contemporary kundalini yogins themselves.

Nevertheless there are some dissenters from this view. These include Sri Chinmoy, Da Free John and Gurdjieff. Dissent can take a number of different forms. For Gurjieff kundalini is associated only with a binding force that leads us to be more attached to the world. Such a view of kundalini is not entirely inaccurate but only reflects the functioning of kundalini in the lower energy centers. For Sri Chinmoy kundalini is an amplifying function that may make an individual more powerful but not more enlightened. From my perspective this also only addresses the impact of kundalini while it operates in the lower energy centers.

Da Free John (born Franklin Jones, a. k. a. Da Love Ananda) has a much more fundamental criticism of kundalini. As far as I understand his position, for him enlightenment cannot be the result of an experience; it is a cognitive transformation. Kundalini may evoke a wide variety of experiences but these are not in and of themselves enlightening. This is an interesting perspective but it seems to assume that the raising of kundalini is an experience in which an ego-consciousness experiences a separate object known as kundalini. Again, this view is consistent with the experience of kundalini in the lower energy centers in which the ego is detached from the movement of kundalini and kundalini experiences are precieved as separate from oneself. However, I would argue that as kundalini rises the ego-consciousness becomes infused in a more fundamental consciousness of cit-shakti-kundalini and this experience does in fact produce a fundamental cognitive change.

Finally, there are many other spiritual practices, such as Zen, Vipassana meditation that consider kundalini irrelevant. Some practitioners or even teachers of these paths, such as Jiyu Kennet, may have kundalini experiences but generally kundalini is not a pivotal part of these paths.

Can I use kundalini yoga simply to improve my health?

Yoga exercises which were traditionally used to purify the body in preparation for awakening the kundalini can also be used simply to improve the health. To practice techniques aimed at actively awakening kundalini with the goal of simply improving your health seems to be a misuse of these powerful techniques.

There are those that teach kundalini yoga principally emphasizing its benefits on health without much discussion of the spiritual benefits. This is how hatha yoga has been taught in the west for some time. The affect of this approach depends on the attitude of the student. There is certainly nothing wrong with trying to improve your health but there is a tension between awakening an energy that will ultimately burn up the ego and trying to shape that energy to simply fulfill an ego-oriented motive.

Is there any scientific basis for kundalini and the cakras? Do I really have to believe that all these cakras physically exist?

Research on kundalini is especially spotty. There is no compelling work to show that the system represents insights into actual human anatomy. But it's important to understand that kundalini and its network of channels and cakras is simply how yogins have chosen to explain their experience and that yogins from many cultures have arrived at similar, though not identical, concepts. The true physical mechanisms underlying these experiences may be very different from those described. Izaak Benthov has proposed a model to explain kundalini in terms of micro- motion in the brain. In this model experiences are associated with parts of the body, such as the heart, because the part of the brain associated with that part of the body is stimulated by micro-vibrations. His model is treated in ``The Kundalini Experience'' by Sannella referenced below. From a practical perspective the key thing is our subjective experience and that the roadmap of these subjective experiences has been mapped out.

Is Chinese qi gong a kind of kundalini yoga?

If there is any contemporary teaching that is even more diverse in approach than kundalini yoga it must be qi gong. As a result it is hard to compare kundalini yoga to qi gong. From my limited exposure to qi gong it is clear there are many qi gong practices that are identical to kundalini yoga practices. What is also clear is that may qi gong practitioners have reported experiences that are identical to those of kundalini yogins. In so far as each of these practices aims at eliminating blocks to the qi/prana energy then they share a common ground.

What about Tibetan Buddhism - has kundalini been known in Tibet?

Kundalini yoga in the Natha Sampradaya and Vajrayana in Tibetan Buddhism both take their origin from the Mahasiddhas who were active in India from the 8th century to the 12th century. Kundalini yoga practices formed the core of the teachings of a number of these Mahasiddhas and are strongly represented in both Tibetan Buddhist practices and contemporary kundalini yoga practices. Kundalini yoga was spoken of as ``Candali yoga'' by these Mahasiddhas and became known as gTummo rnal 'byor in Tibet. Candali yoga was a key practice of the famous Tibetan yogin Milarepa. The role of kundalini yoga in Tibetan Buddhism is discussed in more detail in the Kundalini Yogas FAQ.

Are there any other traditions that show awareness of kundalini?

If you believe that kundalini is at the basis of spiritual progress then every valid spiritual tradition must have some awareness of kundalini. Christianity (especially Quakerism and Pentecostalism), Sufism, Qabalistic mysticism, alchemy and magick all have literature which demonstrates some awareness of the kundalini process but these traditions are not, to this author's awareness, so open in their exposition of the techniques and so it is hard to judge the depth of understanding latent in these traditions. Nevertheless, the imagery is so unmistakable in these traditions that each must have, at least at one time, been conversant with the movement of kundalini.

So how do I awaken kundalini?

Indirectly kundalini can be awakened by devotion, by selfless service, or by intellectual enquiry. In these paths the blocks to the awakening of kundalini are slowly removed. Occasionally, individuals on these paths will experience a sudden awakening of kundalini but generally because the blocks are slowly and gently removed kundalini-like experiences evolve slowly in these paths.

Broadly speaking there are two radically different direct approaches to awakening kundalini. One approach requires initiation by a guru and relies upon a technique called shaktipat, or ``descent of shakti.'' It is variously called: Siddha Mahayoga, Kundalini Mahayoga or Sahaja Yoga (Spontaneous Yoga). These approaches are treated in the Siddha Mahayoga FAQ. The other approach uses intentional yogic techniques . The styles using intentional techniques include Mantra Yoga, Hatha Yoga, Laya Yoga or Kriya Yoga. These approaches are treated in the Kundalini Yogas FAQ .

Fundamentally the approach of Siddha Mahayoga and the Kundalini Yogas are different. In Siddha Mahayoga the guru awakens the kundalini and after that the core of the practice is the inactive and non-willful surrender to kundalini. In Kundalini Yogas the will is used to awaken the kundalini and to guide its progress. Clearly these are different approaches.
Nevertheless, elements of the each approach occur in the practices of the other. Siddha Mahayogins may use asanas, pranayamas and other hatha yoga practices. On the other hand gurus in Kundalini Yoga may give infusions of shakti to their students to help them at particular points in their practice.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of using effort, in kundalini yogas, as opposed to the grace of the guru, in siddha mahayoga, to awaken kundalini?

Since every practitioner brings his own unique inclinations and obstacles to the practice of yoga it is very hard to generalize on this point. In terms of actually awakening kundalini gurus of Siddha Mahayoga claim that the kundalini is more easily and reliably awakened by the grace of the guru than by individual effort. In my limited experience I would agree. with this assertion. While not every long-term student of either practice necessarily shows signs of kundalini awakening it is amazing how many people have had instant awakenings of kundalini through initiation from siddha gurus.

In terms of encountering difficulties along the path the siddha gurus would also claim that fewer problems due to kundalini awakening, such as mental imbalance, are encountered by students of Siddha Mahayoga. Here I think the results are mixed. It seems to me that the guidance of the teacher in either Siddha Mahayoga or Kundalini Yoga is more a determining factor than which style of kundalini practice is employed.

Generally speaking each style of practice has its strengths and weakness. The strength of Siddha Mahayoga is the ease with which it awakens the kundalini. The weakness is that because the kundalini is so easily awakened by the guru students of Siddha Mahayoga often have completely undisciplined personal meditation practices. Time is spent instead to trying to recreate some of their initial experiences by following the guru around hoping for his or her grace Some people spend 20 or more years in this manner without ever developing an inner core of practice or experience.

The strength of the family of Kundalini Yogas is that the progress is at least apparently more under the control of the student of the yoga. These students seem more likely to have disciplined personal practices and more of an understanding of how the practice relates to their own experience.
Unfortunately for some students this leads to a fairly egotistical approach to their practice and ultimately the kundalini energy is used to bolster the ego rather than to merge the ego in bliss.

What are the signs of an awakened kundalini?

Briefly, according to classical literature the signs of an awakened kundalini can be grouped into: mental signs, vocal signs and physical signs. Mental signs can include visions that range from ecstatically blissful to terrifyingly frightful. Vocal signs can include spontaneous vocal expressions that range from singing or reciting mantras to make various animals sounds such as growling or chirping. Physical signs include trembling, shaking and spontaneously performing hatha yoga postures and pranayamas.

From a more subjective perspective the more pleasant experiences associated with a kundalini awakening may include: waves of bliss, periods of elation, glimpses of transcendental consciousness. The less pleasant experiences associated with a kundalini awakening may include: trembling, sharp aches in areas associated with the cakras, periods of irrational anxiety, sudden flashes of heat.

Are these methods of awakening kundalini dangerous? What about Gopi Krishna's books?

If we take the psychological perspective and view kundalini as the power latent in our unconscious then it is easy to understand that awakening this force is going to bring a greater amount of unconscious material into our consciousness. Even in the best of circumstances this is likely to be uncomfortable and if an individual is barely coping with his unconscious even under normal circumstances then awakening kundalini may push the individual over into psychosis. This phenomenon has been documented many times.

Forceful methods of awakening kundalini pose additional dangers. Because quite forceful methods can be used to awaken kundalini these techniques themselves are potentially physically and mentally disruptive. An individual named Gopi Krishna awakened his kundalini by doing unguided meditation on his crown cakra. His life after awakening was both blessed by ecstatic bliss and tormented by physical and mental discomfort. Eventually his experience stabilized. He wrote down his experiences in a recently re-released autbiography entitled ``Living with Kundalini.'' Gopi Krishna's autobiography appears to be an honest representation of his experiences but it is only one extreme datapoint in the panorama of experience on kundalini yoga. It represents dangers in forceful unguided practice but it is not representative of a typical practicioner's experience.

But even if kundalini is dangerous, isn't it a faster way to enlighenment?

First of all it may be useful to observe that there is no technique currently known on earth that appears to be rapidly catapulting large number of individuals toward enlightenment. Because kundalini yogas deal so directly with a powerful enlightening force it seems natural that they would be ``faster'', but there appears to be alot of tortoise and hare phenomena at work with newbie kundalini yogins. Many people begin kundalini yogas, have strong initial experiences and then become frightened. Many who perservere through this initial phase become distracted by the energy and focus on temporal and phenomenal applications of the energy.

There have been many scandals among kundalini yoga teachers - particularly sexual scandals. Is there a correlation between sexual scandals and kundalini yoga practice?

There have been scandals regarding the teachers of many paths, both spiritual and non-spiritual ; however, it is probably fair to say that kundalini yogins have had more than their share. Since the first publication of these frequently-asked-questions in 1994 more than one well-known kundalini yoga teacher has been implicated in having clandestine affairs with students and has been asked to step down from his position as spiritual leader as a result.

An advanced kundalini yogin is typically a powerful charismatic individual who has the ability to directly influence the minds of others. Westerners often mistake this power as a sign of enlightenment and allow such teachers liberties as a result.

In addition it is quite common for kundalini yoga to temporarily accentuate the sex drive. This period requires extra discipline. Finally, kundalini yoga is closely associated with tantrism and sex is often used in conjunction with tantric practice. Where sex is used there is of course the opportunity for misuse or abuse.

If my kundalini is awakened will I need to change my lifestyle?

It's hard to have your cake and eat it too. If you awaken kundalini in order to change and enrich your life it's reasonable to expect you may need to change your lifestyle as a result. The recommendations of both classical literature and experience is that sleep and diet will need to be moderated otherwise severe discomfort may arise. Furthermore without moderating sexual activity and physical work it will be hard to experience much success with kundalini. The extent that these elements of your life need to change depends on the nature of the individual. While genuine mental imbalances arising from kundalini are rare nearly every kundalini yogin will find periods when one needs to be especially sensitive to needs for sleep, quiet and diet

posted in Sri Ramakrishna - 1 reply

Bengali Speakers?

MMelnicki — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 06:28:59 GMT

Actually I'm looking for bilingual Bengali readers.

My great friend is finishing up a project translating poems from Bengali into English, and I'm hoping to find a bilingual Bengali that might be able to glance at his work and lend criticism. It's a fascinating project, so write to me if you think you're interested.

posted in Sri Ramakrishna - 0 replies

analysing WORDS OF RAMAKRISHNA.

Atul (Atulyam) — Sun, 09 Dec 2007 08:29:08 GMT

"ALL SCRIPTURES ARE MIXTURE OF SAND AND SUGAR, ONE MUST ACCEPT THE THE WORDS DIRECTED FROM MOUTH OF LORD AND LEAVE THE REST"_RAMAKRISHNA.
SO,even scriptures cant be relied on, how can you distinguish between sugar and sand? it is but a chaos of concepts...........
"REAL SCIENCE TEACHES US TO BE CAUTIOUS, 99% OF SCIENCE IS HYPOTHESIS YET WE FOLLOW BLINDLY JUST BECAUSE DARWIN OR NEWTON PROVED IT, VEDAS SAY "BEGIN WITH DISBELIEF, ANALYSE AND OBSERVE"________" NETI NETI"....
but words of saints are at the base of discussion.
FIRST THINGS FIRST>>>>" CAN ANY ONE EXPLAIN YO ME THE CONCEPT OF SOUL???" it is the base of religion.....then i will proceed.

posted in Sri Ramakrishna - 9 replies

BHAKTI & TANTRA / SHAKTI SADHANA ------- the main sadhanas in Kali Yuga

Somaadi — Fri, 23 Nov 2007 12:01:12 GMT

according to Sri Ramakrishna ('' Gospel of ... '' ) , the only fast and efficious ways to reach God / Goddess , are Bhakti and Tantra ------ more sopecifically , worship of Divine Mother Goddess . any comments ?

posted in Sri Ramakrishna - 6 replies

The Illusion

adyashakti — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 21:44:37 GMT

"To mistake the rope for a snake is the beginning of illusion. The attempt to run away from that snake, or to try to destroy it, is the beginning of activity. Fear, apprehension, anger, worry, stress, and tension originate from this ignorance. Shouting that 'there is a snake, there is a snake' is the way of spreading this illusion. 'The snake is poisonous, it can't be killed, it has two mouths', such and similar adjectives further reinforce and confuse the issue.

The rumour spreads like a wildfire and many even do not know why are they running! They also join in the shouting, 'there is a snake, there is a snake.' Some get busy in earning money, some in seeking name and fame, while others are terrified and become depressed and inactive. The modern day scientists try to analyze, dissect or kill the illusion, and claim to be the wisest of all.

The illusion of snake spreads from village, town, state and nation to all over the world. Everybody, almost everybody, takes the attitude of flight, fight, or fright. Adrenaline helps to sustain these acts. The 'samsara' (the world) is thus created. The tragedy is further compounded by the fact that it does not even cross the minds of the masses to think, ponder, and confirm for themselves the truth about the reality.

Then a wise man comes. He sees the sad plight of the people, sees the chaotic situation, and sees how the masses are exploiting one another by spreading the myth of this illusion. Silently this great soul, this sage, this great teacher, approaches the spot where the so-called snake has taken birth. He lifts the snake and shows the world, "Oh, my dear ones, look, carefully look, what I have discovered! This is no snake; this in fact is a rope. Do not be afraid. Come and test for yourself and be free from the age-old fright, flight and fight."

He climbs the rooftop at Dakshineswar, and turning towards Calcutta exhorts, "Come one, come all. Come my beloved ones for I have discovered the truth of the rope. You also come and confirm this great truth. I will show you the way."

But the impact of age-old illusion -repeating a lie hundred times makes it appear as truth- still prevents many from approaching the sage. The ignorance is so deep-rooted that doubt is raised about the authenticity of the claim, openly or covertly. "It may be all right for him to touch the snake; it may not bite him. But who can tell we shall be spared? It is better for us to run away rather than take a chance," people argue.

A few, however, heed the call of the wise man. They go near that great soul who has realized the truth and touched the reality of rope. Happiness, joy, contentment, and freedom are granted to these few: freedom from worries of 'samsara' (this illusory world). Their faith in the assurances of wise man is converted into self-knowledge. What a peaceful state of mind they must relish! The running and tiredness of thousands of years comes to a blissful end; and a calm repose is assured.

Some relax and their activities come to an end. They are lost in permanent bliss. A few, however, out of compassion, continue to act and spread the message, 'the rope is real, and the snake is an illusion; the Self is Real, and the world illusion'. These Jivan-mukta (free souls) roam on this earth with the message of truth. They spread the message by imparting the knowledge, or show the path to that knowledge, and help many others to realize the truth of the rope as it is, without any illusion of a snake therein."

~ Sri Ramakrishna

posted in Sri Ramakrishna - 0 replies

The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna

Everett — Mon, 23 Apr 2007 06:50:37 GMT

Anyone interested in a discussion of this text?

http://www.ramakrishnavivekananda.info/gospel/gospel.htm

posted in Sri Ramakrishna - 22 replies

Tribe Activity

Sedusa — Tue, 15 May 2007 00:43:38 GMT

well, we seem to be having some lively discussion here as of late!

I am happy to see people talking, whether we are debating or agreeing! let's try to keep it up.

Jai Bhavatarini Ma!

posted in Sri Ramakrishna - 0 replies

Favorite Books about Sri Ramakrishna and the disciples

Jon — Sun, 13 May 2007 14:08:18 GMT

Favorite Books about Sri Ramakrishna and the disciples

The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna

( also found an abridged version which was nice. Had a very long and wonderful intro, bio, etc. - "Ramakrishna: Prophet of New India")

The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda ( I have only seen this in a college library)

Sri Ramakrishna, The Great Master by Swami Saradananda (one of the early inner circle disciples)

Teachings of Sri Sarada Devi The Holy Mother

Sri Sarada Devi, A Biography in Pictures

posted in Sri Ramakrishna - 7 replies

Universal teaching

Everett — Mon, 23 Apr 2007 06:43:31 GMT

I have now come to a stage of realization in which I see that God is walking in every human form and manifesting Himself alike through the sage and the sinner, the virtuous and the vicious. Therefore when I meet different people I say to myself, "God in the form of the saint, God in the form of the sinner, God in the form of the righteous, God in the form of the unrighteous."
~Ramakrishna

This is one of the most difficult for me at times ,is to remember that no matter who I lay eyes on they are a form of God.I still fail to speak to or aknowledge people based on what they look like or if they will fulfill my needs.Ego based reflection instead of God recognition,
I must remember that God is in all.
namaste

"Unalloyed love of God is the essential thing. All else is unreal."

posted in Sri Ramakrishna - 20 replies

sri ma

Mon, 07 May 2007 03:14:20 GMT

A modern saint who has the guidance of Ramakrishna lives in the Devi Mandir in the Bay Area. This is a link to the website.

http://www.shreemaa.org/drupal/

posted in Sri Ramakrishna - 16 replies

Images

Jon — Sun, 13 May 2007 14:03:38 GMT

I thought it would be nice to post some images of Sri Ramakrishna and such. I am uncomfortable with possibly violating copyright laws and etiquette, so I thought I would post these as links.

Hope that is ok.

Sri Ramakrishna in ecstasy/ samadhi

http://www.exoticindiaart.com/artimages/paramhansa_sm.jpg

The Holy Mother

http://www.writespirit.net/authors/sarada-devi/sarada_devi.jpg

"M" - the disciple who wrote down The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna

http://www.atmajyoti.org/images/m_gupta.jpg

Swami Vivekananda

http://www.atmajyoti.org/images/vivekananda.jpg

http://www.adrianpiper.com/yoga/images/vivekananda.jpg

http://www.psychics.co.uk/images/vivekananda.jpg

Victory to Mother Kali!

posted in Sri Ramakrishna - 2 replies

New to Group

Jon — Sat, 12 May 2007 13:57:51 GMT

Namaste

Hi. My name is Jon. I am new to the group. I lived in a Bhakti Yoga ashram for a year and have been meditating since that time (early 80's).

My teacher admired Sri Ramakrishna and considered him an Avatar.

Glad to see this tribe around.

May Mother's Blessings Be With Us

posted in Sri Ramakrishna - 2 replies

Favorite Quote

mOssMoJo — Mon, 11 Apr 2005 05:42:02 GMT

"Do not seek illumination
Unless you seek it
As a man whose hair is on fire
Seeks a pond."

-sri sri Ramakrishna

posted in Sri Ramakrishna - 4 replies

Sri Ramakrishna's Birthday

Sedusa — Sun, 18 Feb 2007 21:02:28 GMT

is this monday.

happy birthday, Paramahamsa!

posted in Sri Ramakrishna - 0 replies

DOES ANYONE KNOW OF A SAINT OR GURU OR GODDESS WHO....

astarte_dakini — Mon, 27 Feb 2006 22:30:08 GMT

went through a period of transformation that caused a rash?

I am a Tantrica who has delved so deep into the self that my body is responding with intense rashes very often and to subtle shifts in eating....right after coming back from Tantra initiations and transformations.

Does anyone know any book to recommend on the ascension process of saints or Ascended Masters?

looking for more knowledge on this....
Om, Astarte.

posted in Sri Ramakrishna - 16 replies

Belur Math and Dakshineshwar

blissboy — Wed, 20 Dec 2006 16:06:31 GMT

i was just in calcutta a couple months ago and went to both and wanted to start a discussion about how beautiful they are.. having lunch and prasad and wandering around the grounds/exploring all the little shrines and temples at Belur Math, meditating in the temple, seeing Vivekananda's old room and then taking a sunset boat ride (tut tut tut tut tut) across the Houghly to Dakshineshwar where you're shuffled through the queue to have Kali's Darshan .. seeing the Radha Krishna shrine and all the Shiva Lingams and then going and sitting down in Ramakrishna's room and being transported into the past and absorbed in the beautiful energy that after so many years still permeates the space.. ohh and seeing just how small the nahabat is and being amazed at how Sarada Devi could live and sleep and cook and do all the things she did in there.. it was definately one of the highlights of my trip around india.. anyone else have any experiences they want to share?

posted in Sri Ramakrishna - 1 reply

What is Yoga?

Tue, 14 Nov 2006 19:27:12 GMT

What is yoga? Yoga is a Sanskrit word which means "to add two things together." There must be two things. For example if you want to add two bricks together, then ce ment, water and other substances are needed.

Similarly, yoga means to connect two persons: one is the Supreme Lord and the other is the unlimited souls. Because we have forgotten that Supreme Lord, we are greatly suffering. Sometimes we suffer as donkeys, asses, dogs, pigs and so on, and sometimes as demigods; we have passed through all the various species of life.

Sri Krsna is so merciful that, by His causeless mercy, He has now given us this human form. This human form is very temporary however; we do not know when we will die. We are all suffering because we think that we are this body. Actually, this body is a bag of urine, stool, blood and other unwanted things. Still we think we are this body, and we endeavor only to please this body – not the mind and soul.

The easiest way to meet with Krsna is through yoga. You should know that the soul is part and parcel of God – the eternal servant of God – but don't think in te rms of worldly servants. The service of Krsna is very loving and beautiful. It is like the service of a friend, mother, father and son, or like the service of a lover towards his most beloved. Sri Krsna's servants are all very loving. Yoga is that process by which a soul can be with Krsna – this is actually the meaning of yoga.

What is taught as yoga in this world today – especially in China and Hong Kong, as well as in other countries – is the exercise of the body. If you will do these exercises for your whole life, or thousands of lives, still you will not be happy. You will have to get old, and one day you will have to give up this body.

We are discussing real yoga. Sri Krsna is the Supreme Lord and we are part and parcels of that Supreme Lord. By what process can we meet Him and join with Him? By cement? By mud? No. It is through love and affection.

By giving our love to Krsna, we can attain that perfect stage in which we will be happy forever. But what is that process? How can we have prema (pure love of God)?

anyabhilasita-sunyam
jnana-karmady-anavrtam
anukulyena krsnanu-
silanam bhaktir uttama

["Uttama-bhakti, or pure devotional service, is the cultivation of activities that are meant exclusively for the pleasure of Sri Krsna, or in other words the uninterrupted flow of service to Sri Krsna, performed through all endeavours of the body, mind and speech, and through the _expression of various spiritual sentiments (bhavas), which is not covered by jnana (knowledge aimed at impersonal liberation) and karma (reward-seeking activity), and which is devoid of all desires other than the aspiration to bring happiness to Sri Krsna." (Sri Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu 1.1.11)]

This is the definition of uttama-bhakti (pure devotion). By this love and affection for the Supreme Lord, you can meet with Him and serve Him. In another scripture it written: "Paranuraktir isvare." Such deep and strong affection to Isvara (the Supreme Controller) Sri Krsna is the only transcendental religion of the soul.

sa vai pumsam paro dharmo
yato bhaktir adhoksaje
ahaituky apratihata
yayatma suprasidati

["The supreme occupation for all humanity is that by which men can attain to loving devotional service unto the transcendent Lord. Such devotional service must be unmotivated and uninterrupted to completely satisfy the self ". (Srimad-Bhagavatam, 1.2.6)]

Spontaneous lo ve and affection for the Supreme Lord Sri Krsna is the transcendental and eternal religion of the soul (parama-dharma). The teachings of present day religions are not truly dharma. If these religious teachings would indicate devotion to Sri Krsna (krsna-bhakti) then they would be dharma, but the adherents of all religions, such as Christianity, Islam and Buddhism, don't accept the transcendental form of the Supreme Lord. They say there are no qualities in Him.

What would be the use of accepting God if He has no mercy and no attributes, and if He is like zero? We should not accept such false ideas. Spontaneous service to Sri Krsna is parama-dharma.

There should be no selfishness. Whatever you do should be to please Krsna. You should think, "What I am going to do – will it please Krsna or not? Will it please my Gurudeva or not?" If your endeavour will please them, only then should you do it. We should strongly reject that which is unfavo rable for bhakti. This is bhakti, and it begins from its smallest fraction, which is called sraddha (faith).

adau sraddha tatah sadhu-
sango 'tha bhajana-kriya
tato 'nartha-nivrttih syat
tato nistha rucis tatah

athasaktis tato bhavas
tatah premabhyudancati
sadhakanam ayam premnah
pradurbhave bhavet kramah

["In the beginning one must have a preliminary desire for self-realization. This will bring one to the stage of trying to associate with persons who are spiritually elevated. In the next stage one becomes initiated by an elevated spiritual master, and under his instruction the neophyte devotee begins the process of devotional service. By execution of devotional service under the guidance of the spiritual master, one becomes free from all material attachment, attains steadiness in self-realization, and acquires a taste for hearing about the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krsna. This taste leads one fur ther forward to attachment for Krsna consciousness, which is matured in bhava, or the preliminary stage of transcendental love of God. Real love for God is called prema, the highest perfectional stage of life." (Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu 1.4.15-16)]

What is sraddha? It is the strong faith that, "If I perform Krsna-bhakti, then the fulfilment of all other endeavours of my entire life have automatically been accomplished." You should know that sraddha is actually the tendency to serve Krsna (Krsna-seva-vasana), and its outer symptom is very strong faith in the words of Krsna, scriptures and Guru. This is the real sraddha. How does sraddha come? It comes only by sadhu-sanga – being in the association of sadhus. But this refers to a real sadhu, not a so-called sadhu.

Sadhu-sanga first creates faith in the words of Krsna, Guru and Vaisnavas. After that, the sadhu will say that you must take initiation – harinama and diksa. Then the s tudent selects a bona fide guru, and after that he learns the process of performing bhakti.

Bhakti is of two kinds: vaidhi-bhakti and raganuga-bhakti. Vaidhi-bhakti-prema (the development of love of God attained by worshiping Him in awe and reverence) will lead you to Vaikuntha-dhama (the abode of Sri Krsna in His opulent feature as Lord Narayana), and raganuga-bhakti will take you to Krsna-dhama. You are lucky to come in the line of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. One day you will be able to really achieve raganuga-bhakti, by reading Caitanya-caritamrta, Srimad-Bhagavatam and the books of the Gosvamis.

Gurudeva will teach us sixty-four processes of bhakti. Of these, the first is to serve Gurudeva – to fulfill the desire of Gurudeva – and thus hear and follow the process strongly. Other processes are there, and of the sixty-four, nine are prominent:

sravanam kirtanam visnoh
smaranam pada-sevanam
arcanam vandanam dasyam
s akhyam atma-nivedanam

["Prahlada Maharaja said: 'Hearing and chanting about the transcendental holy name, form, qualities, paraphernalia and pastimes of Lord Visnu, remembering them, serving the lotus feet of the Lord, offering the Lord respectful worship with sixteen types of paraphernalia, offering prayers to the Lord, becoming His servant, considering the Lord one's best friend, and surrendering everything unto Him (in other words, serving Him with the body, mind and words)-these nine processes are accepted as pure devotional service.'" (Srimad-Bhagavatam, 7.5.23)]

Of these nine processes, five are most prominent:

sadhu-sanga, nama-kirtana, bhagavata-sravana
mathura-vasa, sri-murtira sraddhaya sevana

["One should associate with devotees, chant the holy name of the Lord, hear Srimad-Bhagavatam, reside at Mathura Mandala (which includes Vrndavana) and worship the Deity with faith and veneration. (Caitanya-car itamrta, Madhya-lila 22.128)]

And of these five, three are most prominent: sravanam (hearing), kirtanam (chanting) and smaranam (remembering). Of these three, one is most prominent – kirtana of Krsna's name. If you chant and remember Sri Krsna's name, all things will come.

harer nama harer nama
harer namaiva kevalam
kalau nasty eva nasty eva
nasty eva gatir anyatha

["In this age of quarrel and hypocrisy the only means of deliverance is chanting the holy name of the Lord. There is no other way. There is no other way. There is no other way." (Caitanya-caritamrta. Adi-lila 17.21)]

If you follow all of these processes, then all anarthas (unwanted habits) will go away. What are these anarthas? The first is nama-aparadha (offences to the holy name), of which there are ten kinds. Don't criticize any Vaisnava, don't beat them, don't be envious of them, don't disobey your Gurudeva, and do try to totally foll ow what he and other Vaisnavas teach us. At the time of chanting the holy name, don't sleep or be lazy. Chant, "Hare Krsna Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama Hare Hare." Chant your Gurudeva's diksa-mantra, and know the meaning of its eight or nine mantras. You should chant daily.

Anarthas include nama-aparadha, seva-aparadha and so on. *[See Endnote 1] If you follow the process, these anarthas will all go away and then nistha will come. Nistha means steadiness of mind: "I may die, but I will not give up chanting the holy name." Srila Haridasa Thakura was beaten in twenty-two market places. *[See Endnote 2] As they beat him, the miscreant government followers were telling him, "You should chant Allah! Hoda! Don't chant Hare Krsna!" But he continued to chant, "Hare Krsna Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama Hare Hare." At last he became almost like a skeleton – bloody and only some skin remaining – and finally they threw him in the Ganges.

Srila Haridasa Thakura came out of the Ganges as if nothing had happened, and was still chanting, "Hare Krsna Hare Krsna." At that time his prosecutors begged pardon at his lotus feet. This is nistha.

Do you know Sri Prahlada Maharaja? His father tortured him and ordered him, "Don't speak the name of Visnu, my enemy!" But Prahlada never followed his order. He was always chanting, "Krsna, Krsna, Krsna." Oh, you should be like that – very strong. Don't become weak when I leave here. Krsna's mercy will then come to you.

After nistha, ruci will come. Taste in chanting, taste in reading books, taste in cooking for Krsna, and taste in all other devotional practices. There are two kinds of ruci: vastu-vaisista-apeksani and vastu-vaisista-anapeksani. If kirtana is going on with very nice instruments and very sweet voices, the de votee who has vastu-vaisista-apeksani ruci will try to hear it, whereas even if the singer has so much love and affection but is not singing in a melodious tune, he will not hear. If the Deity is decorated with gold ornaments and cloth, that devotee will offer obeisances, but if the same Deity is without decorations, he will not offer obeisances.

So, this is vastu-vaisista-apeksani. If all things in relation to the Deity are nice and sweet and well decorated, then he will offer obeisances.
When there is no need of all these things, when it does not make any difference whether or not the singer has a sweet voice, and only Krsna Himself is important, that type of ruci is called vastu-vaisista-anapeksani. Even if the voice is not good or sweet, but the singer has sraddha, nistha and ruci – we should hear him. Where there is a sweet tune (raga-ragina) but no bhakti, we should not hear that singer.

The second type of ruci will create asakti. Wh at is that asakti? Asakti means "attachment to the process of bhakti and to Sri Krsna." When one thinks, "Without chanting the holy name I cannot remain alive for a moment," this is asakti. The first attachment is for bhajana, and later it becomes attachment for bhajaniya (the object of bhajana, Sri Krsna), attachment to Krsna and to His associates. This is asakti, and when this asakti becomes perfect, then rati (transcendental mood) will come.

What is rati? It is very difficult to understand.

suddha-sattva-visesatma
prema-suryamsu-samya-bhak
rucibhis citta-masrnya-
krd asau bhava ucyate

["When devotional service is situated on the transcendental platform of pure goodness, it is like a ray of the sunlight of love for Krsna. At such a time, devotional service causes the heart to be softened by various tastes, and it is called bhava . (Caitanya-caritamrta Madhya-lila 23.5)]

Rati is on the plat form of suddha-sattva, which is also very difficult to understand. If anyone is doing bhajana – if he has left his wife, children, home, wealth, reputation and everything, and yet rati, suddha-sattva has not come, this stage is very critical. That is why we fall down. So many sannyasis and others are falling down. In an easy way, you should understand what suddha-sattva is.

There are two kinds of associates of Sri Krsna: ragatmika and raganuga. *[See Endnote 3] Mother Yasoda, Nanda Baba, Subala, Sridhama and the gopis are ragatmika – eternal associates in Goloka-Vrndavana dhama – and those who follow them are raganuga. When a raganuga-bhakta sadhaka (a practitioner of raganuga-bhakti) meditates upon the associates of Krsna, like Mother Yasoda, Nanda Baba, a cowherd friend (sakha) or Krsna's most beloved gopis, that sadhaka's (practitioner's) mood is called raganuga and his stage is called suddha-sattva. This is a very, very high thing – bh akti is not an ordinary thing.

After rati, prema will come. In that regard I wanted to explain a story, but now there is no time.

[Devotees:] There is time.

[Srila Narayana Maharaja:] I will tell it in brief.

Sri Krsna is the Supreme Lord. He is quite independent. He is not dependent. He can do whatever He wants. Still, Mother Yasoda bound that powerful Krsna with a rope. When she did this, He began to weep. Though He is the Supreme Lord, Mother Yasoda told Him, "I will punish You," and He wept. Was He imitating? He was not imitating at all. He feels that if Mother Yasoda will not love and serve Him, He will not be able to remain alive for a second.

She tied Him to a grinding mortar. At first she threatened to beat Him, but instead she somehow bound Him. Actually she bound Him by her love and affection – Krsna was actually bound.

There is also another pastime – about a fruit seller. < br />
[Srila Narayana Maharaja called on Syamarani dasi to briefly tell the story of the fruit seller, and then he concluded his class:] This is called prema. If you want to have Krsna, then first develop spontaneous love for Him.

******Written by Srila Narayana Maharaja See, tribes.tribe.net/gurudeva/

*[ENDNOTE 1:
(From Sri Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu-bindhu by Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

There are four additional varieties of anartha: (1) duskrti-uttha (obstacles in bhakti arising from past sins), (2) sukrti-uttha (obstacles arising from previous pious activities), (3) aparadha-uttha (obstacles arising from offences) and (4) bhakti-uttha (obstacles arising in relation to impure or mixed bhakti).

(1) Duskrti-uttha: anarthas arising from past sinful activities refer to five types of klesa or distress, which are (i) avidya (ignorance or forgetfulness of Krsna), (ii) asmita (the false egoism arising from the bodily conception of life), (iii) raga (attachment for the objects of sense gratification), (i v) dvesa (hatred or aversion to unpleasant, disagreeable or adverse situations) and (v) abhinivesa (attachment for or absorption in sinful activities).
(2) Sukrti-uttha: obstacles arising from various kinds of material enjoyment which come from the pious activities of one's previous birth.
(3) Aparadha-uttha: obstacles arising from namaparadha and other types of offences.
(4) Bhakti-uttha: desires for labha (material gain), puja (worship) and pratistha (prestige) arising from the performance of sakama-bhakti or sopadhika-bhakti (conditional devotional service). (Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu-bindhu)]

*[ENDNOTE 2 –
(From Sri Caitanya-Bhagavat, Adi-khanda, chapter 16:
"Although by the order of the Kazi, the miscreants mercilessly beat Haridasa in twenty-two marketplaces, no sign of death or any misery was found in the body of Haridasa. Seeing this, the sinful followers of the king became very astonished. Haridasa was constantly engaged in chanting the ecstatic holy names of the Lord. Therefore, like Prahlada, he did not feel any misery in spite of such beating, but rather felt sorry for the unfortunate miscreants who were committing grave offences by torturing a Vaisnava. Haridasa prayed to the Lord to forgive their offences.

Hearing that the sinful followers of the king would be severely punished due to being unable to kill him, Haridasa entered into ecstatic meditation and appeared to be dead. The Kazi considered that if Haridasa was buried he would attain a higher destination, therefore he ordered his followers to throw Haridasa into the Ganges for his degradation.

TEXT 115: They beat him severely in order to kill him, but Haridasa was not even disturbed by their beating.
TEXT 116: The Moslems were astonished to see this and they thought, "Can a human being survive after such a beating?
TEXT 117: "If we beat someone in two or three marketplaces, they die. But w e've beaten him in twenty-two marketplaces."
TEXT 118: They all thought, "He has not died, and moreover we see that he is smiling! Is he a powerful saint?"
TEXT 119: The Moslems then said, "O Haridasa, we'll be killed because of you!
Purport: The Moslem servants who had severely beaten Haridasa said to him, "If we cannot somehow or other beat you to death, our masters will be very angry with us. Then they will kill us out of anger."
TEXT 120: "Although we've beaten you so much, you're still alive. Therefore the Kazi will kill us."
TEXT 121-122: Haridasa smiled and said, "If my remaining alive creates a problem for you, then I will give up my body right now." After saying this, Haridasa entered into deep meditation on Krsna.
TEXT 123: Haridasa, who was endowed with all mystic powers, then became motionless and his breathing stopped.
TEXT 124: Seeing this, the Moslems were struck with wonder, and they took the lifeless body of Haridasa before the king.
TEXT 125: The king ordered them, "Bury him," but the Kazi countered, "Then he will achieve a higher destination.
TEXT 126: "He was already born in a good Moslem family, but he engaged in degraded Hindu practices. Therefore he does not deserve a higher destination.
TEXT 127: "If we bury him, he will certainly attain a better destination in his next life. Better throw him in the Ganges, so that he'll suffer forever."
TEXT 128: Following the Kazi's instructions, the guards took Haridasa's body to throw in the Ganges.]

*[ENDNOTE 3:
Ragatmika: one in whose heart there naturally and eternally exists a deep spontaneous desire to love and serve Sri Krsna. This specifically refers to the eternal residents of Vraja.
Raganuga-bhakti: bhakti that follows in the wake of Sri Krsna's eternal associates in Vraja, the ragatmika-janas, whose hearts are permeated with raga, an unquenchable loving thirst for Krsna which gives rise to spontaneous and intense absorption.]

posted in Sri Ramakrishna - 0 replies

Free Meditation Lessons

Tue, 03 Oct 2006 03:57:59 GMT

The Guru is Within You.
Free Yoga Lessons by Yogani.
Practical Tools for Expansive Development.
www.aypsite.com
Learn the ancient teachings of the yogi’s that, up until now, have been kept secret from the majority of people. These teachings belong to you and are here for you to exercise your natural birthright of union with pure bliss consciousness, God, eternity, enlightenment, etc… There are many names for It and whatever It is to you, it is your natural right to have the tools and to have the choice to find your highest ideal.

These tools that assist you in this most important undertaking include deep meditation, spinal breathing, tantric practice, self-pacing, and many more techniques…
The techniques are quite practical, balanced, without the mysticism, and are meant to be smoothly integrated into your daily life so that you can move steadily along to your goal without interfering with your lifestyle and regular responsibilities.

All the techniques and much more information may be found at: www.aypsite.com

There is no organization or person to follow; this is simply about providing you with the tools that will guide you through your journey. Enjoy!

posted in Sri Ramakrishna - 0 replies

Vedanta Society

Deux_Chevaux — Wed, 26 Jan 2005 18:51:15 GMT

As I understand it, the Vedanta Society in the West looks at Sri Ramakrishna as its spiritual founder (or something like that). Here is a link to the website for our local branch. I haven't been there, but I'd like to attend. There are some informational pages on the website.

http://www.vedanta-seattle.org/

posted in Sri Ramakrishna - 3 replies

Yoni Puja!!!!

karuna — Mon, 09 Jan 2006 02:53:57 GMT

SHARANYA: The MaaBatakali Cultural Mission, Inc. presents...

THE YONI PUJA

February 11, 2006, 1-3 p.m.
One Taste Urban Retreat Center
1074 Folsom St. (@ 7th St.)
San Francisco, CA

Cost: $11 advance, $15 at the door
To purchase tickets: info@sharanya.org

Come and celebrate the Western season of lovers by honoring the sacred
yoni as goddess! Reclaim women's sexuality, honor our ancestors, learn
powerful mantras for women and the goddess, and empower yourself.

At Kamakhya in Assam, the Goddess is worshipped in the form of the
yoni, the vagina, the generative female organ which embodies creation,
preservation and destruction. Kamakhya Maa is also closely associated
with Kali, the Dark Mother of India. We make a pilgrimage each summer
to celebrate Her menstruation at one of Northeast India's largest and
most important goddess festivals. This year, we seek to transform the
Valentine's message in the West through celebrating women and their
powerful cycles, and honoring the men who support this transformation.

Women and men are welcome, and mothers are encouraged to bring their
daughters (and vice versa!). Come and celebrate with us!

We will also have various items for sale. We are a non-profit
organization, and part of proceeds will go to our project in India to
translate, print and distribute 1,000 brochures in Hindi, Assamese and
English that focus on women's self-esteem, body image and feminine
hygiene relative to cultural taboos about women's bodies and
personhood. The goal is to facilitate women's and girls' empowerment
and self-esteem while providing linkages to local support systems. The
other part of proceeds will go toward establishing a public devi
mandir (goddess temple) in San Francisco to be a center for
cross-cultural goddess worship, community events and classes. We will
also have donation boxes available for those who would like to make
further contributions for either of these efforts.

Call (415) 505-6840 or email info@sharanya.org to purchase advance
tickets or to volunteer.

See www.sharanya.org/calendar for our other current events.

Jai Maa!

Erin Johansen
Program Director
SHARANYA: The Maa Batakali Cultural Mission, Inc.
"Where East meets West in Her name..."
www.sharanya.org

posted in Sri Ramakrishna - 0 replies

may GODDESS return ... JAY MAA KALI !!!

Somaadi — Tue, 27 Dec 2005 01:40:01 GMT

Blessings to all , may The Great Mother Goddess of endless names and forms activate and manifest Her holy Shakti I AM presence in us and outside us , may the gregorian new year 2006 mark Her glorious return !!! thank you for .... being ! best wishes , a starseed lightworker & Goddess devotee
Jai Maa

posted in Sri Ramakrishna - 1 reply

Sooo....

Deux_Chevaux — Wed, 26 Jan 2005 18:25:00 GMT

is someone going to post something here?

posted in Sri Ramakrishna - 4 replies

Web Site

Wed, 25 May 2005 20:37:52 GMT

Found this today while looking for something completely unrelated. It's a website of M.'s (Sri Ramakrishna's disiciple) writings.

http://www.kathamrita.org/

posted in Sri Ramakrishna - 0 replies